Big Fish: A John Rodrigue Novel

The one-eyed Creole diver John Rodrigue ( Drop-Off ) has returned in an engrossing, intricate mystery set in the strange world of lavish yachts, big-fish tournaments and Galveston (Tex.) off-shore oil rigs. This time it's his lust for Leigh Kindler that gets Rod into trouble. After the beautiful young wife of wealthy yacht owner Garrett Kindler gives him the come-on, Rod readily agrees to help Kindler rig his own fishing tournament. The immensely attractive Rod doesn't get very far with Leigh, however, and he suspects something fishy is going on, but the self-styled pirate is fatalistic. His reason finally begins to overpower his lust when an inept gunman boards the yacht and shoots the captain, then is accidentally killed by Rod. The wildly improbable and inconsistent theories of the attack ventured by the Kindlers and others--as well as a police investigation, and the presence of a CIA agent and of an attractive reporter who could expose their tournament scam--suggest too late to Rod that he's the bait in a scheme to capture Kindler's fortune. A dramatic rescue puts Rod's life on the line and reels in an exciting conclusion. (Feb.)